Telephone exchange mechanism



No. 6l2,68| Patented Oct. l8, I898. H. P. SNOW.

' TELEPHONE EXCHANGE MECHANISM.

(Application filed Nov. .1, 1897.)

4 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

v INVENTOR Z awZen Z, 2

ATTORNEY THE NORRIS PETERS ca wonmui-nu WASHXNGIUN. 0v 0.

'Pat ented Oct. 18,1898; H. P. snow. TELEPHONE EXCHANGE MECHANISM.

(Application filed Nov. 1, 1897:)

(No Model.)

4 Shanta-Sheet 2.

lr oll WITNESSES I ATTORN EY m; Noqms PETERS Q. PNOTDUTHO" WASHINGTON, D. c

No: (2,681. Patented Oct. I8, I898.

H. P. snow. TELEPHONE EXCHANGE MECHANISM.

(Application filed Nov. 1, 1897.)

4 Sheets-'Sheet 3.

. (No Model.)

INVENTOR 216w [an 2. $929 WITNESSES:

BYW

ATTORNEY m: NORms ravens coJmoTuLwnu, wAsmumoN. a. c

No. 6|2,68'|. Patented Oct. l8, |898..

H. P. snow, TELEPHONE EXCHANGE MECHANISM.

(Application filed Nov. 1, 1897.) (No Model.)

4 Sheetw-Sheet 4;

WITNESSES:

'INVENTOR ATTOR N EY m: uowms PETERS 1:0v Pncraumo" VVASHINETON, o. c.

NIT-ED STATES IIARLEN P. SNOW, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FREDERICK O. JARECKI, OF SAME PLACE. I

TELEPHONE-EXCHANGE MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 612,681, dated October 18, 1898.

Application filed November 1, 1897. Serial No. 657,033. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: Figure 1 is a top or plan View of a section Beitknown that I, IIARLEN P. SNOW, acitiof my improved telephone-exchange mechanzen of the United States, residing at the city of ism, parts thereof'being broken away. Fig. Erie, in the county of Erie and State of Penn- 2 is a side View, partially in elevation and 5 sylvania, have invented certain newand usepartially in section, of the same. Fig. 3 is a ful Improvements in Telephone Exchange transverse section of the same on the linema- Mechanism; and I do hereby declare the folin Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arlowing to be a full, clear, and exact descriprowa. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the tion of the invention, such as will enable same on the line a; as, lookingin the direction 10 others skilled in the art to which it apperof the arrow 1). Fig. 5 is adiagrammatic View tains to make and use the same, reference of the connections of a series of telephones being had to the accompanying drawings, therewith. and to the letters and numerals of reference In the construction of my invention thus marked thereon, forming part of this specifiillustrated, A is the base-plate of the frame 15 cation. i of the machine, upon one end of which are This invention relates to improvements in secured standards A, which support bearings telephone-exchange mechanism; and it cona a, of transverse shafts A and A and bearsists substantially in the mechanism for autoings Z) Z) of screws 13 B B B. (See-Figs. 1, 2, matically connecting telephone-circuits inns and i.) On the shafts A and A are loose gear- 2o trated by the accompanying drawings, the wheels A and A which intermesh with each several views embodying portions only of a other and are driven by a pinion C on ashaft complete exchange mechanism, which ordi- O, driven by any convenient motive power, narily comprises sufficient drops and circuit which intermeshes with the gear-wheel At connections forone hundredtelephones. The These gear-wheels A and A are connected 2 5 drawings, however, show the two sets of keys with the shafts A and A by means of elecof ten. each complete, and the connections trically-operated friction-clutches D and D, are made by the combined use of the keys in hereinafter described, connected with the each series, which are hereinafter designated shafts A and A The ends of the shafts A as units-keys and tens-keys, one of the and A are provided with bevel-gears a a 0 units and one of the tens keys being used to and a a which intermesh with bevel-gears complete each circuit, which admits of one I) b and b b on the ends of the screws B B hundred combinations therewith. There are, and B B. The screws B B are right and left however, only a limited number of the slidhand screws and have traveling nuts B B 7 ing bars and drops shown; but in a complete thereon, connected together by a transverse 3 5 machine there would be one hundred drops bar 13 and the screws 13 B are right and left and one hundred sliding bars in each series. hand screws and have traveling nuts 13 B Each of the latter connects to one side of a thereon, connected together by a transverse telephone-circuit, while the insulated crossbar B so that the screws 13 B and B 13 bars with which the sliding bars connect are when rotated by the gearing move the nuts 0 0 shown complete, as there are'only ten in each thereon and their connecting-bars forward as series, designated as units. and tens the screws are rotated. On one end of each series, each of these cross-bars in a complete of the shafts A and A are spools a around machine being connected with one side of ten which cords a pass and connect with weights circuits, (though in the drawings these insua a, which operate to reverse the motion of 5 5 lated cross-bars are only shown as connected the shafts A and A when the clutches D and with one circuit each,) as it is through these Dare released, and thereby rotate'the screws bars that the combinations are formed for B B and B B in the opposite direction, so as connecting the different circuits. to move the nuts B B and B B back to their The invention is hereinafter fully set forth normal position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. 10c 50 and explained, and illustrated in the accon1 On the central portion of the base Athere panying drawings, in whichis secured an upright bearing E, and on the rear end of the base A is secured an upright bearing-F. Extending between the upper portions of these bearings E and F there is aboard or platform G, upon which is secured aseries of upright magnets g, as and for the purpose hereinafter set forth, and below this platform G there are two platforms II and II of non-conducting material,to'the upper surfaces of each of which are secured ten transverse bars h, indicating units, and ten transverse bars h, indicating tens, insulated from each other, and wires 72, and 71. connect one of each of said bars with the wires n and of, connecting with the lines to subscribers telephones. These connections, as shown, are merely illustrative of the connections which can be made, as each of the units-bars h and each of the tens-bars h represent one side of ten telephone-circuits, as through these two series of bars connectionsare made through series of bars I I and the sliding brushes I and I for a hundred circuits. Above each of these rows of transverse bars h and h are rows of longitudinal bars 1, indicating units, and 1 indicating tens, there being a unitsbar and a tens-bar for each subscriber. These bars pass through slots 6 and e in the upright E and slots f and f in the upright F, and on the front of the upright E are small spring dogs 6 and c adapted to engage notches 'i and c" in the under sides of the longitudinal bars I and I, as and for the purpose hereinafter set forth. The slots 6 and e in the upright IE, it will be observed, extend both above and below the bars I and I, so as to permit the front ends of these bars to be raised and lowered, as and for the purpose hereinafter set forth. Secured to the under side of each of the longitudinal bars I and I and insulated therefrom, just in the rear of the upright E, are brushes I and 1 adapted to contact with the upper surfaces of the transverse bars 72. and h as the bars I and I are moved rearwardly, and passing through insulated supports f and f in the rear upright F are rods J and J, one for each brush 1? and 1 on which said brushes slide freely, and from the rear end of each of said rods J a wire j extends to and forms one side of a telephone-circuit, and from the rear ends of each of said rods J a wirej extends to and forms the other side of a telephone-circuit, so that each pair of rods J J and the wires 3' j therefrom form two sides of an open circuit to one telephone, as illustrated in Fig. 2, which circuit is adapted to be connected to any other like circuit by means of the sliding brushes I and I being moved into engagement with the insulated cross-bars h h, ends of which bars each connect through wires h and hithrough lines 71 and n, with the wires j andj of ten telephones, as is hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the upright E, in line with each of the longitudinal bars I and I, are vertical recesses in which short rods 7c 70 operate, the upper end of the rod 70 connecting with normally insulated therefrom.

the under surfaces of the bars I and extending down through openings in the base, as and for the purpose hereinafter set forth, spiral springs 70 being placed thereon, as and for the purpose hereinafter set forth. On the lower end of each of the rods 70 there is an insulated block K, which engages with a pair of contact-strips N N, and above these contact-strips N N are contacts 11 H, with which each pair of said contact-strips is adapted to contact when raised, and from these strips wires 1' and i connect with the central oflice operators telephone, and below the contactstrips N N are contacts N and N with which each pair of said contact-strips is adapted to contact when depressed, and from these contacts N and N wires 07. and 42 extend to an office-magneto O, and from each pair of the contact-strips N N wires 12 and 17. extend to and connect with the telephone-wires j andj, as well as with wires 72.2 and 71. from the insulated bars 72, h, and also with a pair of the magnets g, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The rods 70 extend from the upper sides of the longitudinal bars I upward and contact with the under sides of the longitudinal bars I, and the upper sections is thereof extend from the upper surfaces of the bars I upward until they contact with cam-surfaces Z on the lower ends of vertical drop-bars L, (only a portion of which are shown in the drawings,) pivoted on a rod L, there being one of these drops for each subscriber. Pivoted at the top of the upright F are a series of bars M. These bars M extend forward through slots Z in the Vertical drops L, where they are provided with hooks m on their upper surfaces adapted to engage the slots Z and retain the drops L in their normal upright position. Each of these bars M forms the armature for a pair of the magnets g, and when such pair of magnets is excited by the admission of an electrical current thereto the armature M is drawn downward, so as to release the drop L from the hook on, which allows the drop so released to fall forward, relieving the pressure of the cam-surface Z thereon from the top of the rod 7.2 The spring 70 now operates to raise the rods 76, 76, and 70 and at the same time raises the front ends of the longitudinal bars I and I, with which said rods contact, into the position illustrated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, and at the same time raises the pair of contact-strips N N into contact with the conductors n at, putting the central operators telephone into circuit with the calling telephone.

On a plate P are located two series of pushbuttons, one series P designated as units and the other series P as tens. Hinged to the under side of the plate P are two bars 19 and 1). (See Figs. 1, 2, and 4:.) The push buttons P pass through the bar 2) and are normally insulated therefrom, and the pushbuttons P pass through the bar p and are On the lower end of each of these push-buttons there is a contact-surface p adapted to form an electrical connection with the bars 19 or p, as the case may be, when such bar is depressed. Under the outer end of the bar 1) there is a contact Q, with which the end of said bar engages when depressed. Under the outer end of the bar 19 there is a contact Q, with which the end of said bar engages when depressed. From the contact Q a wire extends to a battery Q and thence to a brush It, which contacts with an insulated ring (1 on the hub of the clutch 1), another brush 61 forming the connection between said ring d and the magnet in said clutch, the other end of the wire from said magnet being grounded in the hub of said clutch, and from the contact Q a wire extends to a battery Q and thence to a brush R, which contacts with an insulated ring 61 on the hub of the clutch D, another brush (1 forming the connection between said ring (1 and the magnet (not shown) in said clutch, the other Wire from said magnet being grounded in the hub of said clutch.

From the contact-surfaces p of the pushbuttons P Wires y extend to insulated contact-surfaces S on a horizontal bar S at one side of the machine, parallel with and adjacent to one of the screws B, and on the nut B operating thereon, there is a contact-brush S adapted to travel over the contact-surfaces S and form a connection between them and the frame of the machine, and from the contactsurfaces p of the push-buttons P wires eextend to insulated contact-surfaces S on a horizontal bar S at oneside of the machine, parallel with and adjacent to one of the screws B, and on the nut 13 operating thereon, there is a contact-brush S ,=adapted to travel over the contact-surfaces S and form a connection between them and the frame of the machine. These figures are shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4t.

In operation it will be seen that when the operator depresses one of the pushbnttons in either series-say, for example, 5 in the ten series, the bar 1) will be depressed until it contacts with all of the contacts 1.7 on said buttons except the one depressed, and also with the contact Q. A circuit will then be set up through the battery Q and the magnet in the clutch l) to the frame of the machine, and thence through the brush S to the first of the contact-surfaces S upon which itis normally at rest, and back through the wire 2 to the bar 19, which being a complete circuit will energize the magnet in the clutch D, attract the gear-wheel A, acting as an armature therefor, and set the shaft A in motion, which will rotate the screws B B and move the nuts B B forward. This movement will continue until the brush S reaches contact-surface S corresponding with the button 5 depressed, when the circuit will be broken and the clutch then ceasing to be operative the mechanism stops. Now if during this operation any of the horizontal bars I are raised into the position shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2 they will be pushed back by the cross-bar B connecting the nuts 13 B until the brush 1 thereon is in contact with the insulated cross-bar 7t, corresponding to the key depressed, and if one pushbutton in each series is depressed both sets of screws will be revolved and the brushes on the bars moved back in eachseries and will contact with the crossbar in each of the-series h and h, as indicated by the numbers of the buttons in'each series so depressed. It will beobserved that the subscribers telephone T is connected through the wires j j and rods J and J with the brushes 1 and 1 and also through the lines j j and wires n and n and 71/2 and [t3 with one pair of the insulated bars 72, and 7t, and each subscribers telephone is connected up with one pair of said rods, brushes, and bars in like manner. Now if a subscriber rings up the central oflice the wires 01 and or, connecting with two of the magnets g,.convey the current from his magneto to said magnets and causes the drop L corresponding to his number to fall. This releases the spring 75* and raises the rods 75, 7t, and k also raises the front ends of the longitudinal bars I and I, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and also raises therewith the contact-strips N-N into contact with the conductors n n, from which the wires 1' and lead to the central telephone. The operator then asks the number desired, and when informed the buttons P P indicating the number called for, are depressed, and bars I 1, corresponding to the number of the caller, are moved back by the operation of the mechan ism hereinbefore described until the brushes 1 and I thereon contact with the bars h and h,corresponding with the numbers of the buttons depressed, where the push buttons corresponding to the bars moved being replaced they are retained by the cross-bars B and B and the two telephones-the caller and called forare by this movement connected up ready for conversation. The callers drop L is then raised into place, which depresses the bars I 1 until they engage the spring-dogs e and c, after which the called drop L is pushed back, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2,

and thismovement of the drop causes the' cam-surface Z on the drop to depress the rods 7t", 7t, and 7c of the number called for, which forces the contact-strips N N of that number into contact with the conductors N and N from which wires n and n connect the officemagneto 0 into circuit with the person called for and rings his bell. Conversation can then be carried on between the caller and called until the party calling rings off, which causes his drop to fall. This releases the bars I I of the caller, which has been moved back to connect him with the called, and the weights U U instantly return them to their normal positions, disconnecting the caller and party called for.

shown a section of my apparatus embodying only a portion of the parts of a complete telephone-exchange mechanism adapted to operate a hundred telephone-circuits, and which fully illustrates the invention and its operation.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a diagrammatic drawing illustrating the connections of telephones by means of the mechanism of my device. This diagram, however, does not illustrate a full apparatus, as onlya small portion of the bars and connections of a complete eX- change mechanism are shown, the object of the diagram being only illustrative and explanatory of the mechanism hereinbefore described. In this drawing the dark bars 71 and h are the insulated bars, h and h indicating units and tens bars, (shown in Figs. 1 and 2,) and the light bars I and I are the longitudinally-moving bars indicating the units and tens bars I I, (illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4,) and the small (lots I and I thereon indicate the brushes I and I (Shown in Figs. 1 and 3.) The office-telephone and its connecting-wires i and i connecting with the con tacts N N, are the same as shown in Fig. 2. The office-magneto and its connections 11 and 72 with the contacts N 2 N illustrate the connections shown in Fig. 2, while the partsN N indicate the contact-strips operated by the drop mechanism shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4. The wires connecting the several telephones T T with the bars 71. h and the bars I I illustrate, diagrammatically, the connections of the telephones therewith, as shown in the preceding figures. Referring to diagrammatic Fig. 5, suppose telephone T calls up the central. His drop falling connects the officephone with him, as hereinbefore described. The operator, ascertaining that he desires to talk with telephone T moves the bars I and I so that the brushes I and I thereon contact with the central bars h h, as indicated by 00 00. The telephones T and T are then connected and the operator calls T and the parties then are in communication with each other, and in like manner any two of any number of telephones so arranged can be connected.

I have thus shown convenient mechanism for carrying out my invention. I am aware, however, that many parts thereof can be modified in their construction without departing from the spirit of myinvention; therefore What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1'. In a telephone-exchange mechanism, two series of bars, one series of which represents units and the other series tens, each of which connects with 'wires forming one side of telephone-circuits, two other series of bars, one series of which represents units and the other tens, each of which is adapted to be moved transversely across the corresponding firstnamed series, each of which second two se ries of bars also connects with wires forming the other side of such telephone circuits, brushes on each of the bars of said last-named two series adapted to connect withrbars in the firstnamed corresponding series, and means for moving said second two series of bars longitudinally across said first-named two series of bars, substantially as set forth.

2. In a telephone-exchange mechanism, two series of bars, one series of which represents units and the other tens, each of which bars is connected with wires forming one side of telephone-circuits, two other series of bars, one series of which represents units and the other tens, each of which bars connects with wires forming the other side of such telephone-circuits each of-said last-named two series being adapted to be moved longitudinally across the one of the first-named two series corresponding therewith, brushes on the bars of the last-named two series adapted to contact with the bars in the corresponding first-named series when moved across them as above described, signaling and drop mechanism connected in circuit with the lines to and from the telephones connected with said lines, and mechanism for moving the bars in said second-named two series across the firstnamed two series, substantially as set forth.

3. In a telephone-exchange mechanism, an office-telephone normally out of connection with all of the subscribers telephones, drop mechanism comprising means adapted to be operated by the callers ring and automatically connect such calling telephone with the operators office-telephone, and mechanism connected with said drops adapted when a drop is pushed back to ring up a telephone called for, substantially as set forth.

4. In a telephone-exchange mechanism, bars I I connected in te1ephone-circuits, telephone drop mechanism comprising means for engaging said bars, so constructed as to raise the bars communicating with the callers telephone when the drop falls in response to the callers ring and means released by the drop for automatically connecting the callers telephone with the operators telephone, substantially as set forth.

5. In a telephone-exchange mechanism, a set of longitudinally-movable bars, having contact-brushes thereon connected with wires forming one side of telephone-circuits, and adapted to be moved longitudinally across a set of transverse bars connected with wires forming the other side of said telephone-circuits, so that said brushes will contact therewith, drop mechanism for automatically raising each of said longitudinally-movable bars when the drop connected therewith is operated, mechanism for moving the longitudinal bars in one direction when so raised, pushbutton, contact and battery mechanism for starting, keeping in motion and stopping said actuating mechanism, dog mechanism for retaining the bars in the positions to which they are so moved, and weight mechanism for reversin g and moving back said act uatin g mechanism, mechanism connected with the drop for releasing the bar so moved forward, and

weight mechanism for returning the barswheu so released to their normal position, substantially as set forth.

6. In a telephone-exchange mechanism,two'

sets of longitudinally-movable bars, each set of which have brushes connected with wires forming one side of telephone-circuits and adapted to contact with corresponding sets of transverse bars connected with Wires forming the other sides of said telephone-circuits, drop mechanism for automatically raising the longitudinal bars in both sets thereof corresponding with each drop, actuating mechanism for simultaneously moving the bars in both sets when so raised longitudinally in one direction, push-button, contact, battery and clutch mechanism for starting, keeping in motion and stopping said actuating mechanism, dog mechanism for retaining said bars in the positions to which they are so moved, weight mechanism for moving the actuating mechanism in the reverse direction, mechanism connecting the drops with the bars correspon ding thereto for simultaneously releasing the bars so moved forward from the dogs, and weight mechanism connected with the bars for simultaneously moving them back when so released to their normal positions, substantially as set forth.

7. In a telephone exchange mechanism, units transverse bars h, tens transverse bars h, wires 77 and h connecting with telephonecircuits, units longitudinally-movable bars I,

tens longitudinally-movable bars I, brushes 1 and I on said movable bars I' I, and rods J and J and wires j j connecting said brushes with telephonecircuits, drops L and rods k k 7:) connecting with the bars II and operated by the cam -surfaces on said drops for moving said rods in one direction, and a spring k operating said rods in an opposite direction, lever-catches M and magnets g for releasing said drops L, an insulated block K on the lower end of the ,rod is and contactstrips N N actuated thereby, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In a telephone exchange mechanism, lines a and a connecting the subscribers telephone with magnets g g and with transverse bars h 70, conductors n or connected by wires 2' and 71 with the operators office-telephone, conductors N and N connected by wires 01 and n with the office-magneto O, contact-strips N N connected with the lines a and n adapted to contact with the conductors n n or the conductors N and N and the rods 70 Z5 and 70 and the drop L and spring k for operating said contact-strips N N, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. In a telephone exchange mechanism, gear and clutch mechanism and screws operated thereby, nuts on said screws connected by transverse bars, two series of push-buttons P P contact-points p 011 said pushbuttons, wires y and z from said contactpoints to contacts S and S gbrushes S and S on the nuts B and B adaptedto contact with said contacts S and S contact-plates p and 1) adapted to be actuated by said push-buttons P and P and contact withthe contactpoints 2 thereon and with contacts Q and Q connecting with batteries Q and Q and thence to and through the magnets in the clutches D and D, and thence to the machine frame, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

IIARLEN P. SNOWV. WVitnesses:

FRED. EINFELDT, A. L. J AOKSON. 

